Anglican diocese celebrates anniversary
They may no longer claim the allegiance of a majority of Belizeans, but the Anglican Church in Belize has a voice and history far beyond its numbers. Jacqueline Woods reports from Battlefield Park.
Jacqueline Woods, Reporting
The Anglican Diocese of Belize will celebrate its one hundred and twentieth anniversary on the twentieth of April. However for the next month, several activities will take place to commemorate that milestone.
Mapye Smith, Coordinator, Anglican Anniversary Committee
“As part of a Christian ministry we are also adding some fundraising, because the diocese have a lot of it ministries that they want to carry, a lot of outreach programmes. And the only way we can do this is to use the different occasions to also launch some fundraising. Tomorrow is the radio-thon and we are hoping Anglicans…our whole theme about this whole this is just like a campaign also. It’s Anglicans campaigning for Anglicans; we need them to come onboard. Tomorrow we are hoping people will be donating, if it’s five dollars in memory of their dad or a kid is sending in their dollar, anything. We’re going to be out here at the Battlefield Park and just Anglicans from throughout the country to call in and contribute to their diocese.”
The Diocese, which encompasses twenty-eight congregations, has a following of approximately fifteen thousand people. It manages one high school and eighteen primary schools. As Anglicans get ready to observe their anniversary, their Bishop, the Right Reverend Sylvestre Romero spoke about the major contributions the diocese has made to the country.
Right Rev’d Sylvestre Romero, Anglican Bishop of Belize
“One of the things we need to talk about is that the Anglican Church has been the church, in that time the colony, and I think the achievement is that we have open roads for a lot of ministry to take place in the country of Belize, mainly the schools. We were the first one to have a primary school education system going, a boy’s school at St. John’s.”
Bishop Romero says not only he and the priests have an important role in the Anglican Church, but strongly believes the success of the Diocese depends largely on the laity. To that end, a number of Anglican teachers have been receiving training to take on greater responsibilities in churches.
Right Reverend Sylvestre Romero
“The challenge is the lack of ordained persons coming into the church. We have an Anglican Institute to train persons locally, but we still want our clergy to get the best theological training as possible. And so we would want to send them abroad to specialise in ministry. We have a few; Deacon Gill will be going to the UK to specialise in youth ministry, because we feel that is a challenge to us, not only within this church, but I think the country itself. We are lacking young people in the church.”
This morning the Anglican Diocese held a service to launch its anniversary celebration. The outdoor activity took place at Battlefield Park, not at its most famous landmark, St. John’s Cathedral.
Mapye Smith
“The Anglicans definitely need to come out in the open. Too many people have said that we are too much in the churches; we need to come out to the public instead of the public coming to us. And so this is one day that we hope whoever is around will be a part; we need to some out more in the open.”
The Anglican Diocese anniversary is celebrated under the theme, Reclaiming, Acclaiming and proclaiming the Faith: Serving Belize since 1776. Jacqueline Woods for News 5.
